| Panditji's Favorite |
|
|
|| Ganesh Festival || |
|||
Ganpati Bappa Moraya
|
Ganpati Festival is a colorful festival, very popular mostly amongst Maharashtrians. Wherever Maharashtrians go on this planet they celebrate this festival religiously & enthusiastically; be it USA, Europe, Australia, Africa or Middle East.
The Ganesh-utsav was celebrated at the houses of leading Sardar families like Patwardhan, Mujumdar, Khasgiwale etc… In 1893, Sardar Nanasaheb Khasgiwale for the first time celebrated the utsav in Pune as a public festival and that year 3 more Sarvajanik Ganesh utsavas were celebrated by Ghotawdekar, Kasgiwale and Bhau Rangari. For the first time a immersion procession was also taken out on the roads. The well known freedom fighter and statesman, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, realized that Ganesh Festival would be a way of uniting people in a common cause and in this manner a possible means of bringing about political consciousness under the guise of a religious celebration, with freedom for India being the ultimate goal. He started celebrating Ganeshotsav as a public festival by establishing a Sarvajanik Ganpati at Vinchurkarwada in 1894 and today it is the most popular event in the State. Ganesh festival begins on Ganesh Chaturthi - 4th day of Bhadrapada Shukla (Shuddha) Paksha, when Ganesh Pratishthapana is performed and the festival is concluded with the Ganpati Visarjana (immersion procession) on Anant Chaturdashi (14th day of Bhadrapada Shukla Paksha). However, some people do immersion after one & a half day, some do it after 3 days, 5 days & so on… depending on the tradition of the family or the Mandal. In major cities of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Solapur etc…the immersion process goes on for hours even over 24 hours. Usually Ganesh Festival falls in August/September. Today Ganesh Festival has not remained just a popular festival, but it has become very critical & important Economic Activity for Maharashtra. Many artists, industries, businesses survive on this mega event. Ganesh Festival also provides a Stage for budding artists to present their art to the public. |
|||
| Back to Hindu Culture |
Lord Ganesh, the elephant headed god, son of Shiva & Parvati,
is a very popular god for Indians. His blessings are invoked at most religious
ceremonies and important events in life such as marriage, starting a business,
buying a home as he is Vighnaharta - the remover of all obstacles to
success. He is Dukhaharta - the giver of fortune and can help to avoid
natural calamities. He is also known as Sukhakarta which means the god
who brings prosperity and happiness, which everyone strives for in life.